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The best barefoot shoes for kids have thin, flexible soles and a broad toe-box. This allows a child to naturally develop strong, salubrious anxiety!

Most parents, doctors and experts would agree, barefoot is best for babies learning to walk. Learning to walk while barefoot helps grow stronger muscles in the human foot and doesn't interfere with the natural, healthy walking and running gait. Plus, being barefoot means more sensory messages are being sent to a growing child's brain that is learning all about their new and ever-changing surroundings.

When your baby starts walking literally everywhere and you lot need to put a little protection on their feet, in that location are quite a few companies making cute soft leather barefoot baby shoes and moccasins. But one time they start hitting those toddler sizes, many major shoe brands innovate strong soles and narrow toe boxes. Wearing shoes that are flat, flexible and broad is but as important for toddlers and kids equally it is for babies!

I started wearing barefoot and minimalist hiking shoes several years ago, and as I learned more nearly the benefits of barefoot shoes, I began buying barefoot toddler shoes for my son. Thankfully, over the last several years in that location has been a lot of growth in the market with companies offering great barefoot shoes for kids and toddlers. We've been testing out barefoot shoes for 4 years. This post includes our personal reviews here of the all-time barefoot shoes for kids and toddlers.

Soles should be foot shaped and flexible

Why should kids wear barefoot shoes?

Many human foot issues like bunions, hammer toes, weak arches, or just overall weak feet are acquired by wearing shoes that as well narrow, accept as well much cushion, and don't allow the feet to move naturally. Anxiety accept muscles too – over 29 of them! Wearing minimal, foot-shaped shoes means these muscles tin can grow and develop properly, helping children to avoid developing foot issues caused past unhealthy shoes.

Having comfortable, flexible shoes that permit our anxiety and body to move naturally is important at any age. Wearing barefoot shoes ways that toddlers and kids tin can continue to develop a natural walking and running gait, and keep their sensory connection to the globe beneath their feet.

This post shares what to look for in barefoot shoes for kids, my top recommendations for shoes, and an FAQ section at the lesser of the post. I've too included coupon codes for well-nigh shoes so y'all can get an extra 10% off.

Looking for other types of barefoot shoes for kids? Check out these posts here:

➳ Warm Winter Shoes for Kids: 15 Kids' Barefoot Boots for Everyday, Rain and Snow

➳ 8 All-time Barefoot Sandals for Kids

If you want reviews on new barefoot shoes as they come out, check out my Instagram account just for barefoot shoes: @thebarefootshoeguide

Splay Athletics barefoot kids shoes are flexible, zero-driblet and perfect for exploring. Utilise code KELLY10 for 10% off.

What to look for in Barefoot Shoes for Kids

1 Broad Toe Box – Look for shoes that fit the natural shape of the foot, including the toes. There should be enough room for all of those footling toes to wiggle.

ii Thin, Flexible Soles – Soles should provide protection, just still let for a sensory connection to the ground beneath and easy movement.

3 Zero-drop Platform – A zero-drib platform means a apartment sole, just like our anxiety. Many shoes have a raised heel, which tin can cause strain on our body from the unnatural position and make injury more likely.

Barefoot vs Minimalist Shoes

Sometimes I'll use the terms barefoot or minimalist interchangeably. In my opinion, the departure between a true barefoot shoe and a minimalist shoe is commonly a niggling actress cushion or a slight heel drop of a few millimeters.

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Best Barefoot Shoes for Kids and Toddlers

1 SPLAY ATHLETICS EXPLORE

Canvass + microfiber uppers | Velcro | Sizes US8/EU24 to Adult | Starting at $44 | Code KELLY10 for ten% off

Splay Athletics has focused on making ane shoe for the last two years, and making information technology really well. Afterward testing out a number of barefoot shoes for kids, this one was the everyday favorite. The Splay Athletics shoe strikes the right rest between durability and flexibility, comfort, and it's like shooting fish in a barrel to put on. Plus, it's i of the about affordable options out there (and with lawmaking KELLY10, you lot get 10% off!). Sizing starts at US8 (or EU24), so that means fifty-fifty toddlers tin showtime wearing these shoes!

The Splay Explore has a clean, simple design fabricated of cotton sail and microfiber, and feels so well made. It'southward a truthful barefoot shoe with a wide toe box, zero drop platform and super flexible sole. It has a velcro strap and the tongue pulls back, so it's like shooting fish in a barrel for kids to put on this shoe all by themselves.

It can exist hard to find the right balance betwixt flexibility and durability for a barefoot sole, and I retrieve Splay got it just correct. My son has had four pairs of Splay Shoes as he's connected to grow, and all of them take held upwards well to a lot of outdoor use.

Fit + Sizing

These shoes are a fleck on the narrow end overall (fifty-fifty with a wide toe box), so if your child has broad feet yous may want to size upwardly. My son's feet are boilerplate width and volume and he has no problem with these shoes. Splay has a sizing guide on its website to aid y'all get the right fit.

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➳ Shop Now: Splay Athletics

2 SPLAY ATHLETICS FREESTYLE

Canvas uppers | Laces | Size US8/EU24 to Developed | From $55 | Code KELLY10 for 10% off
After much anticipation, Splay Athletics launched its 2d shoe design during summer 2021 that now includes both kid's and adult sizing. The Freestyle is a low cut lace up sneaker that uses the aforementioned materials and shape for the sole every bit the Explore, which means they're just as flexible and durable. The uppers are soft and breathable cotton canvas. Nosotros've come to know and love the Splay Athletics Explore shoes over the terminal few years, and the Freestyle is basically a grown up version of the same shoe.

Splay has focused on making their shoes affordable, which is hard to find in the barefoot shoe market. The Freestyle is $55 for children's sizes and $70 for developed sizes.

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➳ Shop At present: Splay Athletics

3 WILDLING KIDS SHOES

Various uppers | Laces or Elastic Pull | Size US2.five/EU18 to Adult | From $69

Shop Wildling Us | Shop Wildling International

Wildling is a pocket-size company out of Cologne, Germany that but makes barefoot shoes, both for children and adults. Frg has been a leader in the woods school move, which seeks to immerse children in a natural environment, and Wildling shoes feed perfectly into this. These shoes are the closest to beingness barefoot with a super flexible, ii.5mm sole; they allow children to develop a greater sensory connexion to the earth around them, bringing a kid and its surround back together.

Wildling uses sustainable, innovative materials in its shoe line-up including organic recycled cotton fiber, linen, hemp, and wool.

My son admittedly loves his "play a trick on" shoes as he calls them. We've been wearing Wildlings for over three years and accept worn their full range, from lightweight summer models to warmer wool winter boots. A few of our everyday barefoot shoe favorites for kids from Wildling include the Tanukis (made of a special paper-blazon material from Japan called Washi), the Nebula (fabricated from a very breathable merino wool knit), and from the 2022 Spring/Summer collection, the Saker (fabricated from 100% recycled cotton wool canvas).

While these shoes all may exist incredibly lightweight, they're really durable besides (you can bank check out how well the Nebulas held up in this Instagram mail here. All of the Wildlings my son has worn have been the all-time barefoot shoes for active toddlers and kids.

I also have a pair of Wilding shoes from the company'southward adult barefoot line ReWild, and they are the closest matter I've experienced to existence barefoot. The 2.5mm outersole is simply enough protection and there'due south a sparse layer of cushion for comfort. I love the full sensory connection to the ground; my feet have never been so happy in a pair of shoes.

Fit + Sizing

Wildling shoes starts and size Us Baby 2.5 (European union eighteen) and get through adult. To make up one's mind the advisable size, utilize Wildling's printable FitKit on its website. Just brand sure your scale is ready to 100%. I find that most Wildlings fit TTS. Some models (similar Tanuki and Nebula) have a snugger fit, while others have a looser fit (like the Mundaca from Fall 2021 or the Manul from SS22.) However, the size departure hasn't been enough to motion up or down a size.

Wildling does offer a first return complimentary, so yous can return and reorder if the sizing wasn't right for you or your child.

➳ Shop Now: Store Wildling US | Wildling International

4 XERO SHOES PRIO

Mesh and Vegan Leather uppers | Laces | Size US 12 to Developed | From $69.99

Xero Shoes expanded into barefoot shoes for kids with a smaller version of its most popular shoe, the Prio Running and Fitness Shoe. This is a great all-effectually shoe with a wide toe box and sparse, flexible sole. The vegan outside materials are calorie-free by really sturdy. This is the best option if you're looking for a keen barefoot hiking shoe for kids.

The Xero Shoes Prio employ the company's signature FeelTrue safety that provides adequate protection but yet allows you to feel the footing underneath.

➳ Shop Now: Xero Shoes Kids Prio

5 VIVOBAREFOOT PRIMUS KIDS AND PRIMUS Inferior

Various uppers | Velcro, Rubberband Pull, or Laces | Size US5/EU20 to Developed | From $threescore | Lawmaking NMB10 for ten% off

Vivobarefoot is one of the most prominent names in barefoot shoes. Its kids' shoes all have soles that are thin, wide, flat and bendy to promote the natural foot development. Vivobarefoot has a wide range of styles in its kids' barefoot shoe line upwardly, including active, every 24-hour interval, sandals, and boots.

The Primus Kids and the Primus Junior are some of Vivobarefoot'south most popular cypher-drop kids' shoes. The breathable mesh uppers on these lightweight barefoot shoes are made from recycled PET plastic bottles, and so they're cut down on the corporeality of new materials that get into their shoes and reducing the plastic that ends upwardly in landfills. Vivobarefoot too makes sandals, leather boots, and barefoot winter boots for kids.

Vivobarefoot shoes get-go at U.s.a. Toddler size 5 (EU 20).Prices range from $60 to sandals to $90 for leather boots (use code NMB10 for 10% off!)

➳ Store Now: Vivobarefoot Kids /// Zappos

six MERRELL BARE STEPS SNEAKERS

Leather, Textile, or Mesh uppers | Velcro | Size US4 to Adult | From $35

Fifty-fifty if you're new to barefoot shoes, you've probably already heard of Merrell since they're such a large proper noun in hiking shoes and boots. While Merrell'due south typical hikers tin can exist a fleck clunky, the shoes in theKids Bare Steps line are stripped downward to the barefoot basics. The Bare Steps Sneakers accept a soft suede and textile upper that'due south flexible, plus an extra wide toe box. The sole is minimal, only information technology is a flake thicker than others on this listing, like Wildlings and Splay Athletics. The Merrell Bare Steps line features sneakers, water shoes, hikers, and boots.

Every style in this barefoot line is made of 45% recycled materials. They start at size US Toddler four, so they're bully for kids just learning how to walk. The line starts at $35, so these are some of the well-nigh affordable barefoot shoes for kids. I've often seen the on auction too, both on the Merrell website and Amazon.

Once kids size out of the Bare Steps line, Merrell offers the Vapor Glove for minimalist adult shoes.

➳ Shop Now: Amazon // Merrell // Zappos

7 MUKISHOES

Canvas, wool or leather uppers | Velcro or Rubberband Pull | Size US8/EU24 to Adult | From €69 | Code KELLY10 for 10% off

MukiShoes was founded in 2019 by Madlen and Marta, whose goal was to create a minimalist shoe out of natural materials that looked neat. Mukishoes uses local, organic and fair-merchandise materials equally much equally possible. The shoes are manufactured in Portugal, which is where the company is located.

Mukishoes launched its kids line in late 2020, and they're just as high quality as the developed shoes. For summer, the cute and colorful sneakers are made with cotton wool, hemp or leather uppers. The two.5mm natural rubber sole is super flexible and overall the shoes are extremely light. These shoes are easy for kids to put on themselves with either double velcro or adjustable elastic laces that pull tight.

Winter shoes are usually made with wool, leather, or cork leather.

These shoes tin conform higher book feet. I compared these to the Splay Shoes in the same size, and my son had more than room around the ankles and the pinnacle. And then if your child needs something a scrap roomier, Mukishoes are a great selection!

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8 BE LENKA PLAY KIDS BAREFOOT SHOES

Leather uppers | Velcro | Size US9/EU25 to Adult | From €69 | Code KELLY10 for 10% off on PedTerra
Be Lenka was founded in 2017 past Lenka Cenigova, a former long jump Paralympian that is passionate virtually barefoot shoes. Be Lenka offers a few different version of their original kids shoe, the Exist Lenka Play. They by and large take the aforementioned fit and shape, simply vary from low, mid to loftier pinnacle. In that location also offer the Joy, with a cloth and mesh upper, as well as snowfall boots.

The Play is a loftier superlative sneaker with a half dozen mm flexible sole that allows the foot to motion and bend naturally. These shoes are handmade in Europe with nubuck leather. Be Lenka added fun pops of color and patterns to their kid's line, like mango, metallic pink, and rainbow stars.

My son had some hightop Vans a few years agone he really loved before we switched to barefoot shoes, and these actually remind me of them, but with a much thinner, more than flexible sole and wider toe-box.

PedTerra – US Retailer for BeLenka

If yous're located in the US and desire to try these shoes (or several of the other amazing European barefoot brands), then check out the online retailer PedTerra.

The founders of PedTerra realized how difficult information technology can be to get some of the astonishing barefoot shoe brands based out of Europe hither in the Us – and so PedTerra decided to simplify the process by offering complimentary shipping and returns.

With PedTerra, you lot tin can easily order from brands like Bundgaard, Be Lenka, and Paper Krane, risk free! Plus you can utilise code KELLY for x% off!

If you're in the The states and ordering on the BeLenka website, DHL aircraft from Europe to the Us volition cost between $20 to $30. Be Lenka does Non accept returns from the United states.

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➳ Shop Now: Exist Lenka | PedTerra

ix SOFTSTAR MOCCASINS

Leather uppers | Slip on or Laces | Infant US2 to Adult | From $40
Softstar makes butter-soft leather shoes and moccasins with leather soles (for early walkers to be worn by and large indoors) or super-flexible Vibram Pyramid soles made for outdoor use.

Every shoe is handcrafted in Softstar's Oregon workshop, and many of the shoes tin be customized with dissimilar colors. The customizability of these shoes continues with its sizing, where yous can order narrow, regular, wide, or extra wide width shoes (bank check out the Softstar sizing data here). It can be hard to find properly fitting shoes for children with wider feet, and so Softstars are especially swell for them!

I opted for Softstar's Rugged Rambler for my son which comes with a thicker 9 mm sole – we walk plenty of rocky, dirt trails, and I wanted something more than rugged that would stand up to this kind of employ. Information technology'southward held upward really well, making me think the slightly thinner 6 mm sole would exist really durable as well. Even though the sole on the Rugged Rambler is a fleck thicker, it is still extremely flexible. The Ramblers are piece of cake for toddlers to pull on themselves every bit there aren't any ties or strap. If you want to add more cushion and warmth, Softstar sells removable sheepskin innersoles specifically made for its shoes.

While almost companies making moccasins stop at early walker sizes, Softstars sizing goes from Babe Size 2 (0 – 6 months) all the manner upwardly to youth size 6. For both kids and adults, Softstar has the Fundamental RunAmoc, a barefoot lace-up able-bodied shoe with leather uppers and a 5mm Vibram Trail Sole.

Well-nigh babe and toddler moccasins are priced from $40 to $50. The Youth Central RunAmoc is $110.

➳ Shop Now: Baby /// Child /// Youth

FAQ – Ofttimes Asked Questions nearly Barefoot Shoes for Kids

Are barefoot shoes good for kids feet?

The purpose of barefoot shoes is to let a child's feet grow, develop, and office naturally. A lot of the foot problems adults feel afterward on were acquired by unhealthy footwear. Starting children out in barefoot shoes should foreclose a lot of these problems from ever starting. Prevention of a problem is and so much easier than trying to fix it afterward on! Just like the residual of our body needs practise and use to stay strong and healthy, our feet do too. Shoes that permit a child to take a natural salubrious posture, walking gait, and flexibility to movement their feet focuses on the anxiety and body getting stronger, not the shoe padding the anxiety or torso from whatever feeling.

If your child does experience whatever foot pain or discomfort, it's best to see a physician.

Practice kids need arch support?

Well-nigh kids do not need arch support. Wearing flat, nix-drop shoes allows children to develop stronger feet that don't demand to exist externally supported.

I think information technology's helpful to utilise a cast analogy when thinking of arch support. When I bankrupt my arm, it sat in a cast for six weeks. It was well supported, but couldn't move. When I took it out of the cast, my arm muscles had atrophied significantly. It was obvious only by looking at my arms next which i had been in a bandage. Arch support does what it says — it supports the arch, only that means the anxiety aren't building and developing those muscles. Healthy anxiety are potent plenty to support themselves!

Are barefoot shoes skillful for toddlers?

Yes, the before children start with healthy footwear, the better.

Are barefoot shoes adept for babies?

Nigh studies I have read recommend babies staying barefoot as much every bit possible. Being barefoot allows for the best foot development. Plus, babies are learning so much about their environs through their anxiety. Barefoot babies become feedback from the footing through their bare anxiety which helps them rest and keep their caput up as they are learning to walk. If you exercise demand to put your babe in shoes for protection or warmth while outside, I recommend a super flexible, soft-soled shoe.